TEHRAN - The deputy commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Saturday rejected U.S. accusations that an Iranian cargo boat had been carrying arms for Yemen, saying such allegations are aimed at justifying Washington’s failed policies in Yemen. 

“The Americans are releasing such news from time to time to justify their defeats in Yemen. It is possible that the Yemenis purchase weapons from abroad and deliver them to their country. This is their own business,” Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi said.

“The U.S. is looking for a guilty to hide their own defeats in Yemen,” the commander remarked.

Bloomberg reported on Thursday that the U.S. Navy boarded a boat in the Persian Gulf region and seized antitank missiles and three surface-to-air missiles it claimed were of Iranian origin and destined for rebel fighters in Yemen.

Iran has on many occasions denied providing weapons to Houthi rebels, who have taken credit for staging attacks on Saudi Arabia since Riyadh rulers launched a war against their country almost five years ago.

 ‘Iran enjoys fresh information about U.S. military base casualties’ 

Admiral Fadavi further pointed to rising casualties of the U.S. troops in the IRGC missile attack on the U.S.-run military base in western Iraq on January 8 in retaliation for assassination of General Soleimani, saying, “We have much more fresh information about the missile attack on Ein Al Assad base but we prefer the Americans themselves acknowledge the losses and casualties.”

“The Americans’ lies will be revealed. The entire dimension of Iran’s missile attack on the U.S. base of Ein Al Assad will be released by the Americans via their own political factions’ games,” the commander underscored. 

On Monday, the U.S. military, for the fifth time, raised the number of U.S. service members who suffered traumatic brain injuries stemming from Iran's missile attack on the base.

The United States military disclosed a more than 50 percent jump in cases of traumatic brain injuries after the attack on the airbase.

The Pentagon, in a statement, confirmed that so far 109 U.S. service members had been diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injury. 

The U.S. military in the past had said to expect an increase in numbers in the weeks after the attack because symptoms can take time to manifest and troops can sometimes take longer to report them.

Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said last month that the diagnosis could change as time passed.

Symptoms of concussive injuries include headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to light and nausea.

The mounting number of U.S. casualties from missile attacks could increase scrutiny on the Trump administration's approach to Iran.

U.S. Trump appeared to play down the brain injuries last month, saying he "heard that they had headaches and a couple of other things", prompting criticism from politicians and a U.S. veterans group.

Various health and medical groups for years have been trying to raise awareness about the seriousness of brain injuries, including concussions.

MJ/PA